Yes. NY scratch-off prizes expire if they are not claimed by the official deadline. The key date is the game's announced end / close date, not the day you bought the ticket.
Reviewed by Tom Whitaker, Compliance Reviewer · 2026-06-09
New York scratch-off prizes generally must be claimed within one year after the game closes. Game-close and claim-deadline dates are published by the NY Lottery. If you find an old ticket in a drawer, check the official game status before assuming it is still valid.
After the claim deadline passes, unclaimed prize money is no longer payable on that ticket. In New York, unclaimed lottery prize funds are directed according to state lottery rules and public-benefit funding requirements.
NY scratch-off prizes generally must be claimed within one year after the game's official close date. Always verify the exact deadline on the NY Lottery site.
No. For scratch-offs, the key date is the game's official end or close date announced by the NY Lottery, not your purchase date.
Once the official claim deadline passes, the prize is generally no longer payable. Check directly with the NY Lottery for any edge case.
This guide is informational, not legal or tax advice. Always verify requirements with the official NY Lottery before submitting a winning ticket.Data sourced from nylottery.ny.gov and NY Open Data. Independent, non-commercial project. Play responsibly — NY Problem Gambling · 1-877-8-HOPENY.